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OK! A little over-due, but ah well. I was actually waiting on a HQ Edited Manga this time, but it appears as though that it might still be a while before we get one for 309 (slow week for Manga Editors it seems?), so I'll just go ahead and use the RAW and a supplementary translation. There's a lot to talk about, though, so here we go!
As always, feel free to make your own comments!
1. Déjà Vu, Sasuke Style! - Another Sasuke cover in so short a time?! I guess Kishimoto must be making up for lost time with his favorite character design!
I wonder also if these covers aren't based on sketches he made of Sasuke at some point, as he was trying to figure out how Sasuke would look like in Part 2? In any case, pretty striking image, I thought. Kind of reminiscent of the cover of chapter 24 where the snake was wrapping itself around a serious-looking Sasuke - I'm still somewhat hoping that Sasuke will end up in that uniform at some point.
Anyway, if you haven't, check out batanga's coloring of the 309 cover. It's astonishingly good.
2. Kyuubi's Making Funny Faces! - I know the Nine-Tails here is supposed to be a big build-up of evil bubbling ectoplasm, but in the first panel of the second page, the Kyuubi's front profile just didn't seem very frightening... even almost comedic in a grotesque kinda way. Maybe I'm being a bit nitpicky here, but as the Kyuubi is a main reason I became a Naruto fan, I'm always disappointed when he's not drawn with all his majesty intact. (He was perfect last chapter, however.)
3. An Old Foe? - Let's recap what was said here... (Using Hisshou's translation)
Nine-Tails: "What a terrifying Sharingan, so this is the power of your accursed bloodline."
Sasuke: "It seems you've seen these eyes before, therefore you must be the Nine-Tailed fox."
Nine-Tails: "The power of your eyes, and a chakra more evil than mine. The same as Uchiha Madara."
Sasuke: (frowning, apparently very displeased to hear that name) "I have no idea who that is."
There's a few things we learned here, so let's look at them carefully...
1) The Nine-Tails has had an encounter with another Uchiha named Madara at some point.
2) Sasuke knew his clan had a run-in with the Nine-Tails and it confirmed what the Kyuubi was to him.
3) Apparently, to the Kyuubi, Madara had not exhibited the same Sharingan skill Sasuke had used to get into Naruto's head.
4) The Nine-Tails claimed that Sasuke's chakra was even more evil than his own ( Interesting! )
5) Sasuke was displeased and claimed not to know about this Uchiha Madara.
@ 1 - It doesn't surprise me that the Uchiha had a run-in with the Kyuubi, as they're among the most feared shinobi in the world, and used to be harbringers of justice. What makes me wonder is if Madara had been the type of "Dragonslayer" hero that sought to rid the world of the Nine-Tails, or another broody avenger that had thought to tap into the Kyuubi's power to achieve his own purposes? My guess. however, is that Madara was the "ancestor" Itachi spoke of who started the Police Force of Konohagakuare.
@ 2 - I think Sasuke must have learned about the Kyuubi through the Nakano Shrine (see chapter 225).
@ 3 - Does this mean that Sasuke has surpassed Madara in terms of Sharingan power already?
@ 4 - See Comment # 4 for that one.
@ 5 - Somehow, I get the feeling that Sasuke wasn't happy to hear Madara's name, knowing perfectly well who he was, and especially to be compared to him. Maybe a guilty conscience? There's some speculation that Madara was the "other" statue facing the First Hokage at the Valley of the End, as well. That would be interesting if the case... but I don't think Madara is the "missing Uchiha," but rather a dead ancestor, an old enemy of the Kyuubi's.
Some people think he's the Akatsuki Leader. I don't think so, either. Sasuke was very displeased for some reason to hear that name, and I think it's because it reminds him of what his clan used to stand for, and what he's turning his back on, just to get his own revenge.
4. Sasuke's the Antichrist! -There's one other thing, too, that really surprised me. The Kyuubi claimed Sasuke's own chakra to be more evil than his own! Is Orochimaru's evil THAT strong, or is it something else entirely? I had always imagined there was no stronger evil out there than the Kyuubi's out there, but I guess I was mistaken. So, what COULD it be? Kishimoto's going to have to explain this one at some point if he wants his stories to be taken seriously.
5. Bye-Bye Little Fox - Very impressive display of psychic power for Sasuke to dissolve the Kyuubi like that with a hand. My guess would be that it was because the Kyuubi wasn't entirely at full power, and most of its chakra was actually still within Yondaime's prison. Sure, the Kyuubi's chakra is leaking out, but it's probably just 5% of its total power. Dramatic, though.
5. ...because I'LL EAT YOUR BRAINS! - Guys, guys, I actually think that was what the Kyuubi was trying to say right after "Don't kill Naruto... You'll...regret it..." =O
Okay, seriously, I think the Kyuubi just said that to make Sasuke back off a bit, because it sensed that Naruto was in mortal danger. Yeah, I think the Kyuubi IS capable of lying. It's a fox, and what are foxes known for in mythology? Their trickery! At least that's the feeling I get, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Kyuubi was hinting at something that we don't know about yet. Sasuke sure did seem a little alarmed, though.
6. YEAH! Take Him to the Woodshed, Yamato! - Whew! Should've had more faith and known that Yamato couldn't be held down for long. Kishimoto is making me almost as much a Yamato fanboy as I am a Kakashi fanboy. For a while there, though, I was fearing that Yamato would take Sai's place as the "sacrifical character" in this storyline, but it appears nobody will die. How surprising!
7. If It Happens, I'll Kick Their Asses It Happens - Anybody think Sasuke's trying to mislead Orochimaru and Kabuto here? Sure, he definitely seemed to mean what he said, but he was probably aware that they were around somewhere, listening in. He probably also intended for "that" technique to draw them out of the bushes to stop him, just to confirm their presence. He's a ninja, after all, I mean, they ARE known for misdirection...
And before you wonder whether I'm a Sasuke fanboy trying to defend him and saying that he's actually not losing any of his "Uchiha pride" or not, I can answer that for you - ever since the end of Part 1, I haven't been much of a Sasuke fan at all. So, no. You're getting my honest, unbiased thoughts here.
The one thing nagging that keeps at me, though, is that Sasuke may think of it as like this: "Yes, Itachi, I hate you enough that I'd merge myself with this snake bastard in order to kill you for revenge!" In that case, no telling what he'll do. But I keep thinking that Sasuke's still playing into Itachi's hands, by following that line of thinking that he "lacks hatred."
8. Itachi > Orochimaru, Period! - Looks like we have the definite answer to that controversial argument at long last. Both Orochimaru and Sasuke have said it now that Orochimaru's power simply doesn't stand up to Itachi's. I've always thought so myself, though. I think next to the Mangekyou Sharingan, Orochimaru really can't do a darn thing without any protection against it (ie. another Sharingan, and even that isn't immune, unless, I believe, if it's not a MS.) That's why Orochimaru probably wants Sasuke's body so badly: to gain the Sharingan, through which he could then be able to both defend and attack against Itachi. If Orochimaru ever defeats Itachi, then he probably wouldn't have to be on the run from the Akatsuki all the time. I can definitely understand why Orochimaru wants Sasuke, anyway.
There's one thing, though, that I don't think Sasuke realizes (if he truly means that he's fine with Orochimaru stealing his body). To achieve TOTAL protection against the Mangekyou Sharingan, I think either one has to close his/her eyes or to have a MS as well. Wouldn't Sasuke still be playing into Itachi's hands even going this route, because Orochimaru might be trying to get the MS too before he's able to defeat Itachi?
9. Another "That" Technique! I have a feeling neither Naruto or Sasuke have really shown all their stuff yet, and that Kishimoto is saving it all for another battle at some point. Wasn't really surprised to see Sasuke nearly do something crazy but stopped. Somebody here mentioned that it might be a "summoning" jutsu - but since there wasn't any blood involved, I don't think so. How does an 20-feet chidori blade sound? XD
10. Pathetic Indeed... But sensible in a cowardly sort of way... Orochimaru and Kabuto don't want to take any chances with the Akatsuki if they don't have to, so they'll let others do their dirty work while they watch and wait, especially after hearing about Sasori's death.
Still, something tells me that this may be too much for Sasuke to bear at some point, and this will be the reason Sasuke will leave them at some point. He's definitely not one to feel like he needs anybody's help, and ironically enough, that pride of his might be what will eventually pull him away from them.
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars. Definitely an interesting chapter. Had a lot to comment on.
See ya next time!
As always, feel free to make your own comments!
* * * Gold Knight's Ten Comments on Naruto Chapter 309: A Talk with the Nine-Tails!! * * *
1. Déjà Vu, Sasuke Style! - Another Sasuke cover in so short a time?! I guess Kishimoto must be making up for lost time with his favorite character design!
I wonder also if these covers aren't based on sketches he made of Sasuke at some point, as he was trying to figure out how Sasuke would look like in Part 2? In any case, pretty striking image, I thought. Kind of reminiscent of the cover of chapter 24 where the snake was wrapping itself around a serious-looking Sasuke - I'm still somewhat hoping that Sasuke will end up in that uniform at some point.
Anyway, if you haven't, check out batanga's coloring of the 309 cover. It's astonishingly good.
2. Kyuubi's Making Funny Faces! - I know the Nine-Tails here is supposed to be a big build-up of evil bubbling ectoplasm, but in the first panel of the second page, the Kyuubi's front profile just didn't seem very frightening... even almost comedic in a grotesque kinda way. Maybe I'm being a bit nitpicky here, but as the Kyuubi is a main reason I became a Naruto fan, I'm always disappointed when he's not drawn with all his majesty intact. (He was perfect last chapter, however.)
3. An Old Foe? - Let's recap what was said here... (Using Hisshou's translation)
Nine-Tails: "What a terrifying Sharingan, so this is the power of your accursed bloodline."
Sasuke: "It seems you've seen these eyes before, therefore you must be the Nine-Tailed fox."
Nine-Tails: "The power of your eyes, and a chakra more evil than mine. The same as Uchiha Madara."
Sasuke: (frowning, apparently very displeased to hear that name) "I have no idea who that is."
There's a few things we learned here, so let's look at them carefully...
1) The Nine-Tails has had an encounter with another Uchiha named Madara at some point.
2) Sasuke knew his clan had a run-in with the Nine-Tails and it confirmed what the Kyuubi was to him.
3) Apparently, to the Kyuubi, Madara had not exhibited the same Sharingan skill Sasuke had used to get into Naruto's head.
4) The Nine-Tails claimed that Sasuke's chakra was even more evil than his own ( Interesting! )
5) Sasuke was displeased and claimed not to know about this Uchiha Madara.
@ 1 - It doesn't surprise me that the Uchiha had a run-in with the Kyuubi, as they're among the most feared shinobi in the world, and used to be harbringers of justice. What makes me wonder is if Madara had been the type of "Dragonslayer" hero that sought to rid the world of the Nine-Tails, or another broody avenger that had thought to tap into the Kyuubi's power to achieve his own purposes? My guess. however, is that Madara was the "ancestor" Itachi spoke of who started the Police Force of Konohagakuare.
@ 2 - I think Sasuke must have learned about the Kyuubi through the Nakano Shrine (see chapter 225).
@ 3 - Does this mean that Sasuke has surpassed Madara in terms of Sharingan power already?
@ 4 - See Comment # 4 for that one.
@ 5 - Somehow, I get the feeling that Sasuke wasn't happy to hear Madara's name, knowing perfectly well who he was, and especially to be compared to him. Maybe a guilty conscience? There's some speculation that Madara was the "other" statue facing the First Hokage at the Valley of the End, as well. That would be interesting if the case... but I don't think Madara is the "missing Uchiha," but rather a dead ancestor, an old enemy of the Kyuubi's.
Some people think he's the Akatsuki Leader. I don't think so, either. Sasuke was very displeased for some reason to hear that name, and I think it's because it reminds him of what his clan used to stand for, and what he's turning his back on, just to get his own revenge.
4. Sasuke's the Antichrist! -There's one other thing, too, that really surprised me. The Kyuubi claimed Sasuke's own chakra to be more evil than his own! Is Orochimaru's evil THAT strong, or is it something else entirely? I had always imagined there was no stronger evil out there than the Kyuubi's out there, but I guess I was mistaken. So, what COULD it be? Kishimoto's going to have to explain this one at some point if he wants his stories to be taken seriously.
5. Bye-Bye Little Fox - Very impressive display of psychic power for Sasuke to dissolve the Kyuubi like that with a hand. My guess would be that it was because the Kyuubi wasn't entirely at full power, and most of its chakra was actually still within Yondaime's prison. Sure, the Kyuubi's chakra is leaking out, but it's probably just 5% of its total power. Dramatic, though.
5. ...because I'LL EAT YOUR BRAINS! - Guys, guys, I actually think that was what the Kyuubi was trying to say right after "Don't kill Naruto... You'll...regret it..." =O
Okay, seriously, I think the Kyuubi just said that to make Sasuke back off a bit, because it sensed that Naruto was in mortal danger. Yeah, I think the Kyuubi IS capable of lying. It's a fox, and what are foxes known for in mythology? Their trickery! At least that's the feeling I get, but I wouldn't be surprised if the Kyuubi was hinting at something that we don't know about yet. Sasuke sure did seem a little alarmed, though.
6. YEAH! Take Him to the Woodshed, Yamato! - Whew! Should've had more faith and known that Yamato couldn't be held down for long. Kishimoto is making me almost as much a Yamato fanboy as I am a Kakashi fanboy. For a while there, though, I was fearing that Yamato would take Sai's place as the "sacrifical character" in this storyline, but it appears nobody will die. How surprising!
7. If It Happens, I'll Kick Their Asses It Happens - Anybody think Sasuke's trying to mislead Orochimaru and Kabuto here? Sure, he definitely seemed to mean what he said, but he was probably aware that they were around somewhere, listening in. He probably also intended for "that" technique to draw them out of the bushes to stop him, just to confirm their presence. He's a ninja, after all, I mean, they ARE known for misdirection...
And before you wonder whether I'm a Sasuke fanboy trying to defend him and saying that he's actually not losing any of his "Uchiha pride" or not, I can answer that for you - ever since the end of Part 1, I haven't been much of a Sasuke fan at all. So, no. You're getting my honest, unbiased thoughts here.
The one thing nagging that keeps at me, though, is that Sasuke may think of it as like this: "Yes, Itachi, I hate you enough that I'd merge myself with this snake bastard in order to kill you for revenge!" In that case, no telling what he'll do. But I keep thinking that Sasuke's still playing into Itachi's hands, by following that line of thinking that he "lacks hatred."
8. Itachi > Orochimaru, Period! - Looks like we have the definite answer to that controversial argument at long last. Both Orochimaru and Sasuke have said it now that Orochimaru's power simply doesn't stand up to Itachi's. I've always thought so myself, though. I think next to the Mangekyou Sharingan, Orochimaru really can't do a darn thing without any protection against it (ie. another Sharingan, and even that isn't immune, unless, I believe, if it's not a MS.) That's why Orochimaru probably wants Sasuke's body so badly: to gain the Sharingan, through which he could then be able to both defend and attack against Itachi. If Orochimaru ever defeats Itachi, then he probably wouldn't have to be on the run from the Akatsuki all the time. I can definitely understand why Orochimaru wants Sasuke, anyway.
There's one thing, though, that I don't think Sasuke realizes (if he truly means that he's fine with Orochimaru stealing his body). To achieve TOTAL protection against the Mangekyou Sharingan, I think either one has to close his/her eyes or to have a MS as well. Wouldn't Sasuke still be playing into Itachi's hands even going this route, because Orochimaru might be trying to get the MS too before he's able to defeat Itachi?
9. Another "That" Technique! I have a feeling neither Naruto or Sasuke have really shown all their stuff yet, and that Kishimoto is saving it all for another battle at some point. Wasn't really surprised to see Sasuke nearly do something crazy but stopped. Somebody here mentioned that it might be a "summoning" jutsu - but since there wasn't any blood involved, I don't think so. How does an 20-feet chidori blade sound? XD
10. Pathetic Indeed... But sensible in a cowardly sort of way... Orochimaru and Kabuto don't want to take any chances with the Akatsuki if they don't have to, so they'll let others do their dirty work while they watch and wait, especially after hearing about Sasori's death.
Still, something tells me that this may be too much for Sasuke to bear at some point, and this will be the reason Sasuke will leave them at some point. He's definitely not one to feel like he needs anybody's help, and ironically enough, that pride of his might be what will eventually pull him away from them.
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars. Definitely an interesting chapter. Had a lot to comment on.
See ya next time!
